Shannon Steeves returns to EAD today with a very unique wedding!  Lee and Yutaka were married in Sarasota, FL at the Ritz Carlton Beach Club.  Yutaka is an elite-level tennis trainer (he works with Maria Sharapova!) and Lee is an international tennis coach for up and coming teen athletes!

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Beyond your skin, you should be taking great care of your hair.  Here are some tips to help you have the best hair possible for your wedding!

• Get a great natural shampoo and daily conditioner.  I swear by Aveda products.  They smell great, they work great, and they’re not as expensive as Kiehl’s or other high end products.  A $13 bottle is just enough to allow a shampoo switch up every few months.
• Never wash your hair without conditioning.
• While washing, focus on the roots the most and let the rest of your hair get washed by the resulting suds.  Don’t scrub the ends!  While conditioning, do the opposite.  Focus on hair that falls below the chin and especially the ends.  Leave the roots to their natural oil.
• Go easy on the chemical processing.  Get advice from a good stylist.  They’ll be honest about what you should or shouldn’t be doing.  Trust them, no matter how blonde you’ve gone in the past!
• Eat a healthy diet!  For more detailed information on the benefits of a healthy diet go here.
• Consider a multi-vtitamin.  There is much debate over whether these vitamins work or not for long term health.  However one thing we know from experience, multi-vitamins work great for your hair and nails.
• Practice safe drying!  Don’t dry your hair soaking wet.  Don’t use a super high heat dryer.  Don’t hold the dryer close to your head.  Don’t hold it in one spot for very long.  Don’t style before hair is 80% dry.

Here’s hoping for fabulously healthy hair on your wedding day!

Since EAD is doing DIY month in November, I thought I would share with you all my DIY necklaces and earrings that I made for my bridesmaids!

Early on, a friend of mine whose hobby it is to make jewelry suggested that we make something for my wedding.  Since I wanted to give my bridesmaids something special for their gift, I thought this would be perfect.  After discussing different styles and looks, we settled on using freshwater pearls and incorporating gold accents in with it.  I thought this would be pretty with the gold accents I was using in the wedding and tie into their gold shoes.  Also, freshwater pearls are pretty affordable.  In Dallas, there is a place called the Rock Barrell that sells them, along with beads and findings for making jewelry.  My total for all the supplies - the jewelry wire, the pearls, beads, crimp tubes, clasps, the earrings - was approx. $130.  This also included 4 brooch backs that I ended up not using.

We decided on a double strand design of mixed freshwater pearls (whiter ones mixed with ones that had a “peachy” tone) and gold beads.  For the earrings, we went simple and did studs.

And voila!

Here is a quick run-down of how we made them.

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Hi everyone! We updated the Library with 60 new links this week! All of you new additions: we would love it if you would blog about your inclusion in the Library and direct your clients over to our new reviews page so that they can give you mad props for all of your fantastic work!

Thanks to every one of you that has contributed either by submitting a link or publishing a review. Remember, inclusion into the Library is absolutely free, and the only criteria is that you recommend them (submitting yourself is absolutely OK too!) - you can send us your links to add using the Contact page. Recent brides and grooms, please submit reviews about your vendors - all of your submissions are what will make the Library a great resource!

Links added this week:

{PLANNING & DESIGN}
Jesi Haack (CA)
Events Redefined (CA)
The Special Day (CA)
The Wedding Hub (AZ)
Marcelo Bacchin (Brazil)
Brocade Designs (TN)
http://www.abrideidea.net/ (TN)

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In keeping with our beauty theme this week, we have an Advice From the Pros interview with Laura from the awesome Lo and Co. website and blog.  The Lo & Co. artists offer personal makeup services in the New York City metro area. 

We asked Laura to put together some tips for us on bridal make-up trials!

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Today we are welcoming Sarah from the fabulous Monogram Chick blog to give us the skinny on monogramming your wedding!  Thanks for stopping by EAD today Sarah! 

{Monogram Chick}

It was barely a week after my [now] husband slipped the ring on my finger that I was shopping for stationery. Specifically, monogrammed stationery with my new, married identity; because really, that is what monograms are all about—Identity. When you’re single a three letter monogram is simple and straightforward: first name initial on the left, last name initial (larger) in the center, and middle name initial on the right. However, when you marry, things get more complicated and fun.

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We are one year old today! 

{Manage to Change}

It’s hard to believe it’s been one year - and looking back where we started, it seems we’ve come so far.  We couldn’t and wouldn’t do this without all of you.  You are fabulous, we love you, and we are so grateful to you for reading and for supporting EAD! 

XOXO -
Ami Elizabeth and Rebekah Anne

We are so thrilled to welcome a new photographer to EAD today, the fabulous Cliff Mautner.  As you’ll see here, Cliff’s photography is truly art.  He, along with several of our other good friends, was named one of the 10 best wedding photographers in the world by American PHOTO Magazine.

Gabrielle and Matt were married in Philadelphia at the Urban Outfitters Warehouse, which is located in the Philadelphia Navy Yard.  Gabrielle was a stunning bride!

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What is more inspiring than watching contestants on The Biggest Loser get into great shape while Jillian and Bob waver between yelling and loving them into skinny jeans? The correct answer - actually getting into shape yourself. Jillian and the rest of Team Biggest Loser are here to help! They have put out some fantastic resources that get results!

30 Day Shred

At $10.99, this DVD is quite frankly the best fitness bargain we’ve found. The only equipment required is a yoga mat, lightweight weights, and determination. We each purchased a copy after reading all 412 positive reviews. We highly recommend it, but be ready to work the fat off. There are 3 different workout levels, and we have yet to try Level 3. For brides looking for a great workout before the big day, this is as good as it gets.

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Hi everyone!  Erin from Love is Blooming emailed with an opportunity to win a custom wedding day fragrance.  Details are {here} and the contest ends soon so go!

E.